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General Motors is rebuilding OnStar as an AI assistant spanning vehicles, phones and cloud services, with the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq set to receive the first version through an over-the-air update in the coming months. Starting in 2027, GM also plans to replace its separate brand apps with one OnStar app; the rollout to older vehicles, privacy controls and specific availability remain unclear.
General Motors is recasting OnStar as an AI assistant that can operate across vehicles, phones and cloud services, while planning to retire the separate Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick apps. GM said the system will debut in the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq through an over-the-air update in the coming months, making the announcement a major change to how owners interact with the automaker’s connected services.
GM Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson described OnStar’s future as extending beyond the car. “The intelligence of OnStar will exist everywhere,” he said, referring to vehicles, phones, the cloud and fleet-management software. GM says drivers will still be able to call and speak to a person at OnStar; the AI is being added to the service rather than presented as a replacement for human support.
The assistant is intended to use vehicle information and a person’s preferences to respond to practical situations. Anderson gave the example of a driver running late for soccer practice: rather than only displaying a slower route, the system could account for a partner’s location and a scheduled grocery pickup, reschedule the pickup and alert other people to the change. These are examples of proposed capabilities, not a confirmation that every function will be available at launch.
GM plans to begin the in-car rollout with the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq, delivered by an over-the-air update. The company has not provided a full model-by-model launch schedule. Anna Santos, GM’s director of product management for voice and vehicle AI, told The Drive that backward compatibility with some earlier models is theoretically possible and that the company aims to bring the system to vehicles where it can. GM also says future versions will reach the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, as well as other upcoming models.
A separate unified OnStar smartphone app is planned to start in 2027. It will bring vehicles from GM’s different brands into one app and provide alerts or guidance informed by vehicle signals, weather, road conditions, route details and a user’s calendar. A Connected Cameras feature is also planned: events that trigger the system, such as an aggressive horn honk, could prompt vehicle cameras to record footage, upload it to the app through the cloud and send an alert.
One Assistant Across GM Vehicles
The plan would make OnStar a broader software and services layer across GM’s brands, not just a vehicle emergency and connectivity service. A single app could simplify management for households with more than one GM vehicle or vehicles from different GM brands. More ambitious calendar-aware assistance could also bring the system into everyday scheduling decisions, provided the promised integrations work as described.
That expansion carries a trade-off: features that connect calendars, locations, vehicle sensors and cameras involve personal information. GM says owners will be able to see what information a feature uses and why, and control permissions for cameras, microphones, location and AI. The announced capability could affect how owners assess convenience against data access, but the company has not yet shown the settings or detailed how they will work.
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OnStar’s Shift Beyond the Vehicle
OnStar has been part of GM’s connected-car services for 30 years. The Drive reported that it has more than 12 million subscribers, giving GM an existing customer base for the planned AI features. The company’s announcement builds on that service by connecting vehicle assistance with phone and cloud functions, rather than introducing an entirely separate product.
The change also affects GM’s app lineup: the current standalone apps for Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick are to give way to a single OnStar app. GM’s stated ambition is to make the assistant available across multiple vehicle models, but the first announced in-car launch is limited to the Lyriq, with broader availability dependent on later rollouts and technical compatibility.
“The intelligence of OnStar will exist everywhere.”
— Sterling Anderson, GM chief product officer
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Compatibility and Privacy Details
GM has not announced which existing vehicles, beyond the planned Lyriq launch, will support the assistant, nor has it specified a complete rollout calendar. Santos described backward compatibility as theoretical and a goal, so owners of older models should not assume an update will be available. GM has also not detailed whether all proposed calendar, location and scheduling functions will be offered at launch.
Privacy safeguards were described at a high level. Anderson said camera recordings would be encrypted end-to-end and accessible and shareable only by the owner. GM also says users can inspect and control permissions, but the settings were not demonstrated at the event. Details on data retention, how long recordings remain in the cloud, and how permissions will work across features have not been provided in the source report.
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Lyriq Update and App Rollout
GM says the first OnStar AI release will reach the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq in the coming months through an over-the-air update. The company has not named a specific date or announced a full list of supported vehicles. Future details on compatibility, feature availability and user controls will clarify how much of the announced vision reaches owners’ cars.
The unified OnStar app is scheduled to begin replacing GM’s separate brand apps in 2027. GM has not provided a precise migration date or explained how existing app accounts and settings will carry over. The rollout and further product details will show whether the assistant’s promised cross-service functions are available as described.
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Key Questions
When will GM’s OnStar AI arrive?
GM says the first version is planned for the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq through an over-the-air update in the coming months. It has not announced a specific date.
Will the AI work in older GM vehicles?
Possibly, but GM has not confirmed eligible models. Anna Santos told The Drive that backward compatibility is theoretically possible and that GM aims to support vehicles where it can.
Are the Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick apps being discontinued?
GM plans to replace the separate brand apps with a single OnStar app, with the change beginning in 2027. The company has not given a precise migration schedule.
Will drivers still be able to speak with a person at OnStar?
Yes. GM said customers will still be able to call and speak to a human representative; the announcement describes adding AI capabilities to OnStar.
What has GM said about privacy for camera recordings?
GM says recordings will be encrypted end-to-end and accessible and shareable only by the owner. It also says users will have controls for camera, microphone, location and AI permissions, but has not yet detailed or demonstrated those settings.
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